A fresh entrant to the video‑game publishing arena, PUBLSH, has been founded by former executives of the marketing firm Petrol. The company’s inaugural release is the episodic detective adventure Pera Coda, a title that draws clear inspiration from the critically acclaimed Disco Elysium. Pera Coda is being developed by the Turkish studio Elyzio together with its internal subdivision, Falan Studio. Based out of California, PUBLSH was launched in 2025 by chief executive officer Ben Granados and chief strategy officer Samuel Clarke.
Granados brings a wealth of experience from his previous venture, Petrol, a marketing agency that has collaborated with a roster of heavyweight gaming brands and intellectual properties, including Activision Blizzard, Bandai Namco, CD Projekt, Epic Games, Game Science, Krafton, Sony Interactive Entertainment, and Tencent. This background gives him a deep understanding of both the creative and commercial sides of the industry.
In an interview with GamesIndustry.biz, Clarke explained that PUBLSH spotted a niche in the market for a publishing model that blends seasoned, collaborative, and adaptable support with the agility of an advertising‑focused operation. The firm intends to provide direct project investments and bespoke financing solutions tailored to the specific needs of developers, rather than imposing a one‑size‑fits‑all approach. At present, the company is financed by its founders, but Clarke indicated that PUBLSH is open to welcoming a limited group of external investors who share the same long‑term vision. "We are considering bringing in a small group of outside investors who share our long‑term vision for the business," he said.
Clarke further articulated the company’s overarching philosophy: "Our long‑term vision is to offer publisher‑level leadership without publisher‑level control." He emphasized that PUBLSH will be highly selective in its partnerships, operating in a deeply collaborative manner and embedding itself within the development teams it supports. This approach is designed to foster trust and enable more meaningful contributions throughout a game's lifecycle. The PUBLSH team boasts expertise across a broad spectrum of disciplines, ranging from product and portfolio strategy, business development, and financing to platform relationships, distribution channels, audience development, marketing, communications, and go‑to‑market execution.
By consolidating these capabilities under one roof, the publisher aims to reduce friction for developers and accelerate the path from concept to market. Looking ahead, Clarke revealed that PUBLSH plans to publish roughly four to five titles each year, deliberately keeping its slate modest.
The focus will be on projects with development budgets under $20 million, allowing the company to allocate sufficient operational bandwidth and capital to each partner. "We want enough operational space to invest deeply in every studio we partner with," he explained. "We’d rather add high value to five development partners and games than be one of twenty partners on twenty games." Pera Coda, slated for a PC launch in 2027, combines point‑and‑click investigative mechanics with a strong emphasis on psychological storytelling. The game’s design encourages players to explore intricate narratives and moral dilemmas, echoing the depth that made Disco Elysium a benchmark for narrative‑driven experiences.
Granados expressed enthusiasm for the project, noting that the team evaluated numerous candidates before selecting Pera Coda as the perfect embodiment of PUBLSH’s new publishing philosophy. "We looked at a lot of great games to lean into with our new approach to publishing, and Pera Coda stood out to us immediately for having a voice of its own," he said.
He added, "Elyzio has created a game that is atmospheric and intriguing, with storytelling that just felt fresh and compelling to us. We knew we wanted to work with this team and help bring their unique vision to players around the world." This sentiment underscores PUBLSH’s commitment to championing distinctive, auteur‑driven projects that might otherwise struggle to find a home in a market dominated by large‑scale, publisher‑driven franchises.
In summary, PUBLSH is positioning itself as a boutique‑style publisher that blends the strategic oversight of a traditional publisher with the flexibility and hands‑on support typical of an advertising agency. By limiting its annual output, focusing on sub‑$20 million budgets, and embedding deeply within partner studios, the company hopes to deliver high‑quality, narrative‑rich experiences like Pera Coda while fostering sustainable growth for both itself and the developers it backs.